


1421

by happyendingexo



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Baekhyun lifting his shirt up, EXO with tattoos, Fluff, HEA_2017, Humor, M/M, Tattoo Artist Baekhyun, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 13:05:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13764792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happyendingexo/pseuds/happyendingexo
Summary: Chanyeol goes in to get a tattoo but keeps  interrupting the artist every time the needle gets too close to his skin. It's a good thing the tattoo artist finds him cute.





	1421

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt #025**
> 
> **Disclaimer:** The is a work of fiction. The names and images of the celebrities mentioned are borrowed and is not meant to represent the celebrities themselves. All original characters and plot belong to the author and is not to be reproduced and/or shared without written permission from the author. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> **Author's Note:** Hello! This is my fourth EXO fic and my first ever Chanbaek story. I guess I've been putting off writing about my ult ship because I've read so many amazing fics out there, feeling I won’t do as well. But when I saw that this cute prompt was dropped, I knew I had to pick it back up. To help avoid some confusion, this fic switches between Chanyeol and Baekhyun, but they are divided clearly. I just wanted to mention it just in case.
> 
> To the prompter, this is for you! I hope I did it justice. To the mods, thanks so much again for the endless patience and encouragements! And to you, dear reader, I hope you enjoy spending time with this little fic. (*´￫ܫ￩｀*)

“The next station is Gangnam. The next station is Gangnam.”

 

Chanyeol looked outside the windows, clutching the hanging train handle tighter. The noise of the people around him was both distracting him and putting him on edge. It’s an ordinary day and those around him were going about their lives like clockwork.

 

He checked the instructions sent to his phone one more time, memorizing it to the last period. With a deep breath, he hid his phone and focused on steeling his nerves.

 

Park Chanyeol was about to commit a crime.

 

Before he knew it, the train has stopped and people quickly moved to exit. Chanyeol counted to five before making his move. No backing out now.

 

He checked his watch, seeing that he’s a few minutes early before their agreed time to meet.

 

The hub wasn’t as packed this time of day, thank God, so spotting the man he’s looking for wasn’t a challenge. Jongin did say the guy had the biggest pair of eyes he’ll ever see. He tried not to let the neck tattoo intimidate him too much.

 

Chanyeol smiled nervously. “Uh. Taejung?”

 

The smaller man looked at Chanyeol from head to toe, face perfectly neutral.

 

Oh, right. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like he’s somehow shorter from the other’s aura. “I have a consultation appointment at 1421.” He handed the shorter man his driver’s license for proof.

 

“How’d you know about us?”

 

The deep voice was a surprise, but the taller man kept what little cool he had left. “Jongin.”

 

If you were close enough, you might’ve seen Taejung’s face twitch. It could have been annoyance or a smile, but it all happened too fast that Chanyeol wasn’t sure what he saw.

 

Taejung nodded at him, pleased enough. “Follow me. No taking of photos until we say otherwise.”

 

Just like that, Chanyeol hiked up his backpack higher on his shoulder and was now heading to an unknown place with a man he had just met. He started questioning how he made life decisions. Why was he doing this again?

 

The other man walked just a step or two ahead of him, not even looking back. But Chanyeol was a bundle of nerves, and when that happens, he babbles. “So how do you know Jonginnie?”

 

Chanyeol waited for a response, but all he got was a glance from those big eyes. Guess talking wasn’t allowed either.

 

They made their way through the buzzing streets of Gangnam, taking twists and turns he can barely keep up with. Must be so people can’t find the artists and the tattoo shop.

 

After what felt like half an hour, Taejung stopped before an unassuming green door. He knocked a strange pattern, and Chanyeol doesn’t even bother memorizing that, because seeing as how these guys worked so far, they probably change knocks every day. Maybe they even change the color of the door. Who knows?

 

A cough brought Chanyeol’s focus back. “You going in or not?” Taejung held the door for him.

 

Point of no return, he mused.

 

Chanyeol stepped inside and relief flooded his system once he saw the modest reception area and frames upon frames of amazing ink on the wall.

 

Taejung quietly closed the door before going back to his place behind the desk. He pulled out a form and pen for Chanyeol. “Is this your first time getting a tattoo?”

 

The giant nodded, scanning the form. Again, he felt like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders when he found nothing out of the ordinary on the paper. Chanyeol thought Jongin was being overly dramatic when he talked about getting inked at this particular shop, but he felt the exact same way he did, minus the almost crying part.

 

“Do you already know the design you want?” Taejung flipped open three photobooks. “You can look over our samples to see which one you like. But if you already have something in mind, you can pick from one of our three artists based on their work.”

 

Chanyeol gave the man his finished form before flipping through the books with glee. The first one that caught his eye were the watercolor tattoos from an artist called Migyeong. Every hue is a work of art, but he remembered Jongin pouting for an entire week when he first tattooed a tiny black keyhole on his back where the spinal column begins. Chanyeol doesn’t know if he had the pain tolerance for something as detailed as these paintings. Maybe his first time should be simpler. A lot simpler.

 

So he flipped through the second book from a man named Jeongwang. But even on the twelfth page of edgy uncolored ink, Chanyeol couldn’t make up his mind on what he wanted.

 

He quickly peeked at Taejung who was watching him intently, making his palms sweat. If the universe was listening, Chanyeol hopes the third artist would be the one.

 

He ran a finger on the name Byul before opening the book. To his pleasant surprise, the designs, both colorful and monochrome, were minimalist, so striking in their simplicity and modern design. From constellations, paper cranes, music notes, quotes, and so much more, Chanyeol already wanted to mark his skin.

 

It must show on his face because Taejung hid away the previous photobooks without a second thought. “You’re lucky. One of Byul’s appointments for the day rescheduled so he has some extra time for you in case you wanted to get inked right after your consultation.”

 

“O-oh.” Chanyeol felt a lump on his throat. “But I don’t know exactly what I want yet. Is that okay?”

 

Taejung waved him off, writing down Chanyeol’s name on a calendar. “Don’t worry. You can talk to Byul and figure it out. Most people talk to the artist on their first try for the design and schedule another session for the actual inking. So if you don’t have enough time today, we’ll pencil you in for some other time.” He looked back at Chanyeol with a small friendly smile. “If Byul approves that is.”

 

Chanyeol nodded, not knowing what else to say. Jongin never mentioned that there would be a whole other screening test like this.

 

“Byul will be here in a while. You can wait here or inside his studio if you want, try to get comfortable.” Taejung pointed to a door down the hall to their left with a silver _‘4’_ on it.

 

The other two doors have _‘1’_ and _‘21’_ on them and Chanyeol chuckled. Tattoo shops in Korea really are something else.

 

“I’ll wait in the studio.” He grinned at Taejung, feeling excited more than anything else. Chanyeol followed the other man again and waited for him to unlock the door.

 

Taejung motioned for him to sit on the tattoo chair. “Don’t touch the equipment, sanitary reasons. We also have cameras in here so don’t try anything funny.”

 

His excitement was once again mixed with nerves. But before Chanyeol could complain, the other man asked if he wanted water or juice. “Just in case you do get your tattoo today, it’s recommended you stay hydrated so it’s easier for your skin to accept the ink.”

 

“Water, please.” Chanyeol quickly sat on the chair, dropping his backpack on the floor. He thanked Taejung and uncapped the bottle. “Have you guys been around long?”

 

The other man shrugged, probably figuring out if the giant could be trusted or not. “Long enough. The artists have trained for several years before, both here and abroad, before setting up their own shop.” He offered Chanyeol a smile. “You’re in good hands.”

 

Chanyeol quirked a brow. “And you? Are you their apprentice or something?”

 

The booming laugh was unexpected. He didn’t think he was this funny.

 

Taejung shook his head. “Nah. I’m just one of their part-time assistants. I’m still in uni.”

 

Both men looked to the door when they hear the shop’s phone ring. “Well, I need to get that. Just sit tight. Find me if you need anything before Byul gets here.”

 

And so Chanyeol tried to feel comfortable on the tattoo chair, long legs folded like a child, trying to sit still and not hit anything with his limbs, especially those ominous-looking needles.

 

The urge to take a photo of the studio was beginning to rise, but Chanyeol resisted even though he really wanted to show Jongin, maybe ask if they chose the same artist. His friend didn’t want him to be biased when picking the tattooist so he knew nothing about them.

 

The buzzing of his phone almost made Chanyeol jump in his seat. Speak of the devil. “Hello?”

 

_“You in the shop yet?”_

 

“Yes, Jonginnie. I’m at the shop.” Chanyeol hummed, staring at a framed minimalist tattoo of what looked like the tree of life. The whole room was filled with artwork from the studio owner. “Hey, who did you get inked by?”

 

It sounded like Jongin was talking to him on the phone while walking, most likely to school. _“The dude from room number 21, Jeongwang.”_ He sighed wistfully, as if remembering something. _“Kyungsoo said he was the quickest artist among the three, fast as lightning. And I wanted to avoid as much pain as possible, so I picked him.”_

 

Chanyeol frowned. “Who’s Kyungsoo?” He frowned even further when he heard Jongin spluttering on the other end, probably almost tripping.

 

_“I-I meant, Taejung. Uh. Please don’t tell him that I told you his real name.”_ The signature pout was practically _hearable_. _“But, uhm, did you tell him I sent you? That you heard about the shop from me?”_

“What did you do?”

 

_“Nothing bad!” Jongin laughed. “After I got my tattoo, I asked him out. But he said he’ll only give me his personal number if I bring ten other clients to the shop.”_

 

The man couldn’t remember the last time Jongin had it this bad. He would be mad being treated like some sort of offering like this, but he has been thinking of getting a tattoo for some time now anyway. “Yeah, yeah. I told him. He might’ve smiled too, just so you know.”

 

_“Really?!”_

 

Chanyeol laughed. “I don’t know, man! I couldn’t even tell if he was breathing. Which client number am I anyway? You getting close to your target?”

 

He could hear the pout again. _“You’re the first one.”_

 

“Technically I haven’t paid yet. I could also change my mind and just walk out of here after what you just told me, but I will be the best wingman ever and sacrifice myself for you.” If he could hear his friend’s pout over the line, Chanyeol knew that Jongin could hear the smirk gracing his own face. “Lord knows how long it’s been since you had any action.”

 

_“Like you’re one to talk. You’ve grown several feet and had Lasik eye surgery since your last date, asshole.”_ It sounded like Jongin was now in his fancy university for the arts when he heard ballet lingo whispers in the background. Now Chanyeol wondered if that’s where his best friend met the mysterious Taejung. Kyungsoo. Whichever. _“Anyway, who’d you pick to ink you?”_

 

Chanyeol leaned back on the chair, closing his eyes and sighing. “Some guy named Byul. I liked his book the best.”

 

_“His book. Sure.”_

 

“What?” He suddenly felt clammy and it’s bad because Chanyeol was nervous enough with this whole thing to begin with. “Is he bad? Mean? Will he hurt me?”

 

_“Nothing.”_ But Chanyeol could hear the smug smile through the imaginary phone lines. _“But good luck, pal._ ”

 

His heartrate dropped the same time Jongin dropped the call. Chanyeol frowned at his phone, furiously texting his supposed best friend who left him hanging, threatening him about the idea of cancelling today and using the receptionist’s real name as blackmail to finish him off.

 

When he saw the door open and a man with breathtaking silver hair and blue eyes pop in with a smile to check on him, Chanyeol almost dropped his phone.

 

Oh, shit.

 

And he realized he said that out loud and covered his mouth with both hands, phone included.

 

 

*

 

 

Baekhyun opened the green door of the tattoo shop with a spring in his step, still giddy from his last appointment where he finally finished a very intricate yet minimalist cherry blossom tree on a woman’s back which meant he has already met his profit quota for the month, and also because Jongdae’s mom gave him extra eel for free at lunch earlier.

 

He waved at Kyungsoo just as his business partners Jongdae and Junmyeon trailed behind him and locked the door. “Kyungja, what’s on the agenda?”

 

Kyungsoo checked the time before scanning his clipboard with a hum. “Junmyeon hyung has an appointment in half an hour – colored Van Gogh Starry Night style sky, left shoulder, second session for shading; Jongdae hyung’s last appointment of the day is in one hour – personalized tribal tattoo sleeve, left arm; Baekhyun, special appointment – unknown tattoo; next client in two hours – fairies, right ankle.”

 

“Hey, where’s the _hyung_ for me? You know I’m older than Dae.” Baekhyun checked the customer form of his mysterious special client, smiling a little. He leaned on the receptionist desk, resting his chin on one hand, feet swaying. “Chanyeol. His name sounds like he’s tall. Is he tall? Is he cute?” He grinned wider when Kyungsoo just rolled his eyes at him.

 

The receptionist shooed him away, handing Jongdae and Junmyeon the customer forms of their incoming clients. “That’s why I don’t call you hyung.”

 

“Baekhyun, leave the poor guy alone.” Junmyeon pulled him away from the table by the ear to give their receptionist some peace since their office landline and mobile are always ringing off the hook. “And keep your name and other parts private, okay?”

 

Baekhyun swatted away the hand, gingerly rubbing his ear. “Who in this room have gotten into serious relationships with a former client? And one of you even made out _on the chair._ We’ve all seen the tapes.” He eyed his partners with a blank face. “I may flirt with them but I take our business seriously, you know.”

 

Jongdae laughed as he walked towards his own studio. “There are exceptions, my dear friend. It’s not like you can help who knocks you off your feet.”

 

“Yeah and straight into one of our tattoo chairs to do the nasty.” Baekhyun made a face. He didn’t know why Junmyeon made everyone watch those tapes. It’s not like Jongdae thought it was punishment. He was more pleased than guilty, especially of his boyfriend’s eight-pack abs. Kyungsoo even requested a day off after that.

 

Junmyeon just patted Baekhyun’s shoulder in sympathy. “There, there. We can go out for drinks later. Try to erase the memory of Jongdae’s softcore porn. I’m buying.”

 

Well at least there’s that. The three of them usually needed to destress and relax their eyes with some alcohol after a long day’s work. Their shop, even underground, have been booked for months in advance. Even if they’re open six days a week, their calendar seemed to never clear up.

 

Baekhyun quickly checked his hair in the lobby’s full-sized mirror before he and Junmyeon walked to their own studios. Junmyeon gave him a thumb’s up. “Good luck, Byul.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

He waited until Junmyeon has gone inside his room before psyching himself up for the job, cracking his knuckles to loosen the knots. Baekhyun breathed in deeply before opening the door, head popping in with a smile. “Hello.”

 

“Oh, shit.” Chanyeol whispered.

 

When Baekhyun just blinked back at him, smile turning from friendly to amused, the client covered his mouth with both hands and a phone, the tips of his ears shading a light hue of pink.

 

He instantly knew that the guy was a first-timer. Baekhyun hasn’t had those in a while. It would be nice to work on a fresh canvas. And with how huge the guy looked, even if he was making himself seem small on the tattoo chair, it’s obvious that there’s a lot he can work in.

 

Baekhyun smiled more warmly this time, completely understanding the nerves. “Do you need a few more minutes?”

 

“No. It’s okay. You can come in.” Chanyeol chuckled timidly, putting his phone away. “I mean, it’s your studio. Right?” He suddenly looked unsure, and Baekhyun wanted to laugh. To be fair, the man hasn’t met Byul before.

 

The tattooist entered the room, closing the door quietly. He pulled up a stool in front of his client, sitting casually, let him know he won’t bite unless otherwise asked to. “Okay, so what do you want to commit to for the rest of your life?”

 

Instead of answering, Baekhyun saw the man’s eyes move from his hair to his lips, the _que sera sera_ tattoo from below his left jaw and down his neck, and to what little exposed skin was visible under his leather jacket before landing back to his eyes.

 

The rosiness of Chanyeol’s ears travelled down to his cheeks. “I-I don’t know. I was hoping we could figure something out.”

 

Goodness gracious the guy was cute. Not subtle, but cute nonetheless. Baekhyun held in the laugh threatening to escape him. “All right. Well, where you want me to put it?”

 

He did admit to his partners that he charms people on his chair.

 

Chanyeol ran a hand through his messy black hair, clearly a nervous habit. “I was thinking of something small and hidden for my first tattoo.”

 

“Somewhere hidden. Maybe here?” Baekhyun turned sideways, pointing to a spot a bit behind his earlobe where a tattoo of a black bird is. He also parted his digits to show Chanyeol the word _fearless_ on his right ring finger.

 

And since Baekhyun was indeed fearless, he stood up to take off his jacket and hang it on the coat rack before slowly lifting up his shirt just enough to reveal the tattoo of his favorite constellation in Gangwon-do inked on his left ribcage. “Or here.”

 

Then he smiled innocently at the wide-eyed man before fixing his clothes. “I have another one somewhere more private, but maybe we can save that for another time.”

 

It was a cheap shot, but it clearly worked when Chanyeol audibly gulped.

 

The man shook his head, probably to get rid of his thoughts. He looked down at his hands, slumping a little more in his seat. “Maybe just one of my fingers for now?”

 

Endearing. Baekhyun found it endearing how the man turned a shade darker and attempted to get rid of it by rubbing his nose.

 

“It’s a small area, so it’s a good thing you picked me then.” Baekhyun pulled up his seat closer. He held out a hand to the guy. “May I?”

 

It was a bit of challenge keeping his face neutral when Chanyeol held out his hands for him, slightly shaking. Baekhyun inspected each finger carefully, figuring that his new client was either some sort of athlete or played an instrument with all the hard callouses he saw. He hoped the chosen area would be on the lower side of the finger for less of a challenge.

 

They almost bumped heads when Baekhyun looked back up, Chanyeol’s face just a few inches away from him. The two of them pulled back instantly.

 

Baekhyun let go of their hands, putting a safe distance between them. “I’m going to ask you some questions to see if we can find a good tattoo idea, okay?”

 

Chanyeol nodded, leaning back in his seat. “Shoot.”

 

During this time, Baekhyun’s clients light up when they talk about their dreams, their passions, overcoming obstacles, what and who means the most to them, and they have this look of genuine happiness that he loved seeing. Chanyeol was no exception. His eyes crinkle a tiny bit in the corners as he talked about his family, about his mom’s cooking, and his beloved pets. He looked lovingly annoyed as he described his best friend Jongin, who he remembered seeing a few weeks back, and Baekhyun recalled seeing the same expression on Kyungsoo. But his favorite was when Chanyeol told him about his teaching assistant job with a music professor while also working on being a music producer someday, eyes glossing over in delight and smiling more freely.

 

Hopeful was the perfect word to describe Chanyeol right this second. Baekhyun felt his stomach twist, recalling the days he trained as a tattoo apprentice and the day he opened up shop with Jongdae and Junmyeon.

 

“Mr. Byul?”

 

“Baekhyun.”

 

“Huh?” Chanyeol blinked back at him, brows furrowed.

 

It was Baekhyun’s turn to say, “Shit.” He waved his hands at Chanyeol, laughing a little. “Forget what I said. But just call me Byul, drop the mister.” He ran a hand through his hair, pursing his lips.

 

But the slip did give him an idea, though. “Uhm. Well. You can probably tell that we use fake names around here. It’s to keep our identities safe since we operate a tattoo shop in Korea without a doctor’s license. But for me and my partners, it’s also our artist name.”

 

Chanyeol nodded, probably having figured out as much.

 

“So I was thinking,” Baekhyun grabbed a notepad and pen. “Your first tattoo should be your music producer name. I mean, you already have one, yeah?”

 

By the way Chanyeol’s dimple showed up again, the older man knew he was right. He handed Chanyeol the pad. “My _fearless_ tattoo was a stencil of my grandma’s handwriting. She always calls me that whenever she saw me struggling during my apprentice days. But since you want to be a composer, I think it’s important that you write your name on your own, remind yourself who you are when you make music.”

 

“So you’ll do it, then?” Chanyeol was staring at the blank paper with a small smile on his face.

 

Ah. Kyungsoo must have told him how picks his own clients.

 

But how can he turn this guy down? “If you want me to.” He chuckled when Chanyeol started writing large letters that looked simple and honest. While he tried a few more times, Baekhyun rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt and wore his black nitrile gloves before preparing the cleaning material, needles, ink, and maintenance items.

 

He placed Chanyeol’s watch on his desk for safekeeping, and by the time classical piano music filled his studio, his tool for focusing on the job, Chanyeol finished writing. Baekhyun helped the man pick the best looking one before copying the handwriting on stencil.

 

Cleaning Chanyeol’s chosen finger and placing the stencil dye on him were easy enough, even with the slight trembling from the younger man. So Baekhyun understandably thought the rest of the session would be a breeze.

 

He rolled up Chanyeol’s hoodie sleeve a few times, slowly getting into his element. It’s not like someone in his profession can afford to make a mistake.

 

“Okay, I’m going to start now.” The buzzing of the tattoo gun blended with the classical music. He gave Chanyeol one more smile before looking down at his canvas.

 

A mere inch was left between the needle and skin when Chanyeol panicked. “Wait, wait!”

 

Baekhyun would laugh but the pure terror in the man’s eyes stopped him. “It won’t hurt that much, I promise.” He gave Chanyeol’s hand a supportive pat for good measure. Well, depends on one’s pain tolerance. But Chanyeol’s a giant. He looked sturdy enough.

 

“Could you at least do a countdown or something? Just so I can hold my breath.”

 

“Like when you get shots or donate blood?” Now Baekhyun did chuckle at that. The man was definitely climbing Baekhyun’s list of favorite first-timers. “But okay, we can do that.”

 

He squeezed Chanyeol’s hand gently before resuming his previous position. “Three, two, one.”

 

And like before, when the needle was about to touch skin, Chanyeol stopped him, cheeks more visibly pink and breathing labored. “Sorry, I-I just heard my mom’s voice disowning me for doing this. Took me years to convince her to let me work in music, and now she’s going to think I’ve ‘lost my way’ or something when she sees I got inked.” Baekhyun thought it was cute how he tried making air quotes with his fingers, even with one hand being held down. Chanyeol also managed to look adorable with genuine worry and a pout on his face, recalling the time he was deathly afraid of needles as a child.

 

It must have been a good ten minutes since they attempted to start tattooing, but Baekhyun didn’t mind. “You picked a good secret spot to ink, so don’t worry about your mom. And I give you my word as professional, fingers are one of the least painful places to get a tattoo.”

 

His smile must have been effective when Chanyeol talked at a normal pace again. “But it still hurts a lot, right? My friend, the one who got inked here, called me right after his was done. Barely understood what he said with his bawling. Or maybe it was because your receptionist gave him homework instead of his number…”

 

The man was obviously babbling, so Baekhyun didn’t know if Chanyeol’s grip on his free hand was out of instinct. It would be a lie to say it didn’t feel nice. “Could be. Tell your friend not to give up, though. Taejungie likes him.” He parted the digits of Chanyeol’s left hand again, needle ready. “Okay, deep breaths.”

 

The point is a breath away from the fair canvas, but right on cue, the man stopped Baekhyun again in a panic. It would worry him, but the urge coo at Chanyeol’s cute spiraling was a lot stronger. They were more holding hands than anything at this point.

 

“Please don’t be offended, but is the needle clean? I can’t get infected right now when I’m about to finish my graduate thesis. And are you sure you’re okay to do this now? Not sleepy or tired or anything since you guys are pretty popular. I-“

 

Baekhyun squeezed the man’s hand. “Chanyeol. I practically gave you a strip tease earlier. Do you think I would do that if I wasn’t completely aware of what I’m doing? I don’t do that for just anyone, you know.”

 

“Why do I get the feeling that you’re lying about that last bit.”

 

Okay he does tend to take off his clothes for the heck of it, especially when alcohol is involved, so Baekhyun just laughed. “Right. Bad example.” He glanced at the speakers, fingers drumming on the back of the guy’s hand. “Maybe you’ll be able to relax if I play some of your original songs in my studio. How’s that sound?”

 

So they switched from piano strings to guitars. The second that Chanyeol’s compositions came off the speakers, he instantly felt more at home, albeit a little nervous still. But when Baekhyun said he really likes the sound and vibe, he looked satisfied.

 

The tattooist turned on the ink gun again. He made no other move, though. “Anything else you want to tell me? Like, you can’t do this because donating blood when you have a tattoo is more complicated or you think it would look bad when you’re old and wrinkly?” He opened Chanyeol’s hand again, tracing the spot he’s supposed to work on. “Although I honestly think it would take a hell of a lot to make you look bad.”

 

Baekhyun looked back up to the man one more time to make sure he’s ready, but Chanyeol was bright pink at this point. “I guess I’m still wondering if I could really commit to this for life.”

 

And he could hear the underlying meaning, having had the same thoughts before choosing to become a tattoo apprentice abroad. The doubt and fear making you question your ability, your strength, and your faith in yourself as you chase your dream. He gets it.

 

Still, it would be a shame if they stop now. He meant what he said about Chanyeol’s original work – that it’s good and he really likes it. “It’s okay if you need more time. Just try to book another appointment with me as soon as you can because last I checked, my own calendar is booked for about three months. Maybe even four with all the calls out there today.”

 

At the mention of waiting that long, Chanyeol seemed more determined. “No, it’s fine. I’m fine.” He took deep breaths before nodding at Baekhyun. “Let’s do this.”

 

Some people might think it’s mean, but Baekhyun didn’t give Chanyeol another second to hesitate and finally made contact with skin. He laughed brightly when Chanyeol shouted but continued on, knowing the man will get used to the slight sting soon enough. “Just think happy thoughts, Chanyeol.”

 

For a while, his client calmed down enough – breathing deeply, his whimpering muting down, and hand twitching only every few minutes or so. But suddenly Baekhyun couldn’t see what he was doing with the messy mop of hair blocking his view.

 

He lifted his head slightly, careful not to accidentally break Chanyeol’s nose or knock his teeth or something. “As much as I like being this close to you, you’re going to make me mess up.”

 

“Right. Sorry.” Chanyeol chuckled anxiously, backing up slightly. “You’re doing great.”

 

Baekhyun smiled, going back to continue the letter _O_. “If it helps, you can talk to me more about being a teaching assistant. Or that time you started your school’s ferret club. Ask me anything too if you’re getting bored.”

 

Usually, at this point of the session, the conversation was minimal. Baekhyun liked to focus on the job and only hear the classical music playlist he made for the day. His clients also kept mum most of the time, ignoring the pain and doing their best not to distract him. Not that they ever could, especially when he’s in the zone.

 

So this, right now, was something new for him. The buzzing of his ink gun was barely registering when he’s being wrapped up in Chanyeol’s music and his deep voice. It gave him a pleasant feeling, and he found himself talking back, even telling the man the most mundane things about himself like how he changes his hair color according to his moods. Each tidbit he gave led to Chanyeol sharing more of his own, so now he knew of him sporting flaming red hair in college before dyeing it black again for his current job.

 

He’s the one marking Chanyeol, but it was like Chanyeol was leaving indelible things on him too.

 

A half hour has passed when Baekhyun sighed in relief. “And done!” He turned off the ink gun and gently lifted Chanyeol’s hand. “Turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself.”

 

The tattooist could clearly see the man wanted to trace the ink and had barely enough control not to touch it. Chanyeol ended up squeezing Baekhyun’s hand again. “Thank you.”

 

In his humble opinion, Chanyeol’s face was thanks enough.

 

The clock on his studio showed that he had some twenty odd minutes left before his next appointment, which meant it took them an hour to finish after the designing stage. A simple tattoo like this probably would have been quicker with anyone else, but it was hard to be annoyed at the guy. That’s why he took great care in wrapping up Chanyeol’s finger in plastic and bandage.

 

Baekhyun took off his black gloves before writing a personal list for the man’s tattoo maintenance for the first few days. He also handed Chanyeol the studio’s brochure for other tips along with his phone, feeling a bit off with the sudden silence in his studio. “You’ll get a message reminder from us when it’s safe to remove the bandage. If you have any more questions, just contact the shop. We’re always happy to help.”

 

The way Chanyeol was reading the list and brochure with great interest, Baekhyun could see how the younger man was good at his teaching assistant gig. He couldn’t help but smile.

 

 

*

 

 

Chanyeol made mental notes to make sure he keeps his new tattoo intact, especially since he wanted to show it off to Jongin. When he looked back up to Byul, smile as bright as his silver hair, he decided to bite another bullet for the day. “C-Can I ask for your number too?”

 

Regret almost flooded him with the way Byul’s smile dropped, even if it was only slightly. Did he read the mood wrong? But he could see the look of conflict on his face. “I’m sorry. But no.”

 

Huh. Chanyeol didn’t think there would be something more painful than getting a tattoo here.

 

Maybe he and Jongin could go drinking later, apologize for teasing the man about his weird courtship challenge with the receptionist.

 

Byul waved his hands, clearly sorry. “Don’t get me wrong. I want you to. But. Uhm.” He sighed, running his index finger on his lips, lost in thought. And really, Chanyeol thought that was unnecessary. He could barely catch what the man said after. “We have this rule of not being allowed to date our clients to keep our studio safe.” He scrunched his face, lips pursing. “You’d be surprised how many tattoo artists get reported by their exes. It’s too risky for us.”

 

He could see Byul’s face fall even more when he quietly grabbed his backpack from the floor, hiking it on his shoulder.

 

“Well,” Chanyeol shook his head, not believing what he wanted to say next. “I’ll see you in a few months for our next session then.” It’s not like he didn’t plan on getting another tattoo anyway.

 

They say it’s hard to stop once you get inked. But he knew in his case, it has more to do with the tattoo artist.

 

“Yeah?” Baekhyun bit his lip with a small smile, and Chanyeol clutched the strap of his backpack tighter. “Maybe we can design something more complex. Something music-related again?”

 

He could only nod, wanting to spend more time with Baekhyun too. “We might need a whole day with how fast my first tattoo was done.”

 

Baekhyun laughed.

 

After years of studying music, Chanyeol hoped he wouldn’t forget the sound of it, even when he stepped out of the tattoo shop and the noise of Gangnam was deafening.

 

He was a couple of blocks away when Jongin replied to his message, agreeing to buy a round of two of drinks. Seeing the time on his phone, Chanyeol figured he could catch the next train. Then he realized his wrist oddly felt cold, unprotected by the watch he now remembered leaving back at Byul’s studio desk.

 

Chanyeol still hasn’t decided if it was luck or torture to see the man who rejected him so soon by the time he reached the shop’s door. He knows his knocking wasn’t the same pattern Taejung did before, but he hoped the receptionist saw his text about leaving something behind.

 

Thankfully, it was Byul who opened it for him, watch ready. “I have to say, staring at this thing made me realize that I don’t want to wait four months just to see you again.”

 

Chanyeol let the guy put the watch on his wrist, shivering a little when he felt fingers tracing his palm before letting go. He hid his hands inside his hoodie, getting distracted with the way Byul’s eyes turned crescent. “How about tomorrow, then?”

 

“I’ll call you later if you call me Baekhyun.” The artist chuckled, starting to close the green door until only his head was visible because the sound of cheering became too much inside the shop, clearly embarrassed.

 

Chanyeol walked back to the direction of the trains, enjoying his own compositions coming through his headphones, the pain of his newly tattooed finger dulling down.

 

 

*

 

 

*

 

 

*

 

 

*

 

 

Chanyeol sat patiently on the studio chair as Baekhyun added another tattoo on his skin.

 

He got lost in the way the older man focused, pulse racing at the glimpse of his own verses inked near Baekhyun’s heart and the thought of other marked spots that his very own lips have touched just beneath.

 

But his favorite tattoo of Baekhyun’s, without question, was the one on his ring finger.

 

“You’re staring.” Baekhyun was working the needle, trying not to miss the stencil dye. The sound of the ink gun was blending well with the song Chanyeol composed for Baekhyun on their wedding day two weeks ago.

 

Chanyeol grinned. “At least I’m staying still.”

 

He couldn’t wait for his matching ring to get finished.

 

 

 

***


End file.
